Hanger for structural elements



Feb. 5; 1963 G. A. TINNERMAN 3,076,536

HANGER FOR STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS Filed Oct. 30, 1961 IN VEN T 0/? GEORGEA. 7' IIVNE RMAN ATTORNEYS UnitedStates Patent Office 3,076,535 PatentedFeb. 5, 1963 3,076,536 HANGER FOR STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS George A.Tinnerman, 23012 Lake Road, Bay Village 40, Ohio Filed Oct. 30, 1961,Ser- No. 148,470 3 Claims. (Cl. 189-88) This invention relates to ahanger for structural elements employed in the direct suspension ofsuspended ceilings such as acoustical ceilings.

In building construction, it has been well known to enclose pipes,ducts, beams and other structural elements between the originalstructural ceiling and a suspended ceiling, the later then forming asmooth uninterrupted ceiling structure. This finished ceiling mayconsist of metal lath with plaster or acoustical board or tile oracoustical metal pan, or any other such like material, all of which aresecured to the suspended sub-ceiling structure and which in addition isadapted to support such objects as fluorescent trougher lightingfixtures, diffusers for air conditioning exhaust, etc. When acousticalceiling or fluorescent light fixtures, etc. are to be attached, T-barchannel is generally used for the purpose and the present inventionprovides a hanger element capable of securing an open grid T sections orother like channel supporting formations for the support of suchelements and fixtures, wherein the hanger element provides a simpleeasily effected connection between the T member or other channel-likesupporting elements and suspended hanger rods or wires.

The invention generally comprises a hanger for structural elements madeup of a body formed from a single piece of resilient metal bent to forma back plate, a top plate substantially normal thereto and side platessubstantially normal to both the top plate and back plate, said sideplates being spaced apart from one another a distance approximating thespan of the structural member to be engaged and each terminating in freeends beyond the extremity of the back plate and including clamping meansat said ends for engaging a structural element, said back plate having arod clamping plate struck therefrom to project below said top plate andat an incline to both said back plate and said top plate, said backplate having a base plate bent therefrom and projecting from saidextremity of said back plate substantially normal thereto and spacedfrom and underlapping said clamping plate, said top plate and saidclamping plate each having an orifice substantially aligned with oneanother for passage therethrough of a suspending rod, said inclinedclamping plate thereby causing edges of its orifice to bite into andclamp said body on such rod, said base plate being engageable by aterminal end of a suspending rod projected through the orifices of saidtop plate and clamping plate, said free ends of said side plates beingcapable of outward flexing to receive a part of a structural elementtherebetween and to cause said clamping means to clamp said elementagainst said base plate.

The invention will be clearly understood by reference to the followingdetailed specification taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings.

In the drawings:

'FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the hanger of the present inventionillustrating its manner of clamping and suspending a structural element.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the hanger.

*F-IG. 3 is a front elevation of the hanger; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the hanger.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates a depending wire or rod employedfor ceiling suspension purposes and B indicates a hanger of the presentinvention shown in FIG. 1, anchored on the rod A and securing structuralchannel with one another.

C used in conjunction with the suspended ceilings, fixtures and thelike.

The hanger B is made from sheet metal bent upon itself to form a bodyhaving a top plate 10, a back 11 integrally connected therewith anddisposed substantially normal thereto, and side plates or elements 12and v13 bent in a direction to extend substantially normal to the back11 as well as to the top plate 10, which side elements are designed toterminate in free ends 14 and 15 and which are formed with clampingmeans such as the inturned hook-like securing elements 16. As shown inFIG. 2, the side elements are integral with the back 11 throughout anupper portion of their length, the back being cutaway as at 17 over alower portion of its length at each side so as to provide the freeextremities on the sides 12 and 13. The upper ends of the sides 12 and13 are preferably designed to be lapped by theside edges 18 of the top10 as clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

From the centre area of the back 11, a clamping plate 1 9 is struck andbent inwardly to underlie the top 10 and project at an upwardly inclinedangle to the back 11. This clamping plate is centrally orificed as at20. Similarly the top 10 is orificed as at 21, the arrange? ment beingsuch that the orifice 20 in the clamp plate 19 and the orifice 21 in thetop 10 are substantially aligned Finally, a base plate 22 integral withthe back 11 is disposed to project forwardly from the back plate at itslower extremity as to underlie the orificed portions of the top 10 andclamp plate 19. Base plate 22 is adapted to engage with the end of therod or wire to which the hanger is readily attached and by use of rodsextending in uniform length from their point of suspension, it isobvious that the hangers will all be dis posed at a uniform heightrelative to one another when the base or gauge plate 2 2 is caused tobutt with the end of the rod or wire when the hanger is properly securedthereto.

Due to the fact that the clamping plate 19 is disposed at an incline tothe back 11 and the plane of the top it), and having regard to the factthat the orifice 20 of the clamp plate is substantially aligned withorifice 21 of the top 10, the orifices being substantially of a diametercorresponding to the cross-sectional diameter of the rod to which it isto be attached, it will be obvious that when rod A is passed throughorifice 21 and caused to pass through orifice 2% in clamp plate 19 byflexing clamp plate 19 slightly downwardly until the end of rod 22 hasengaged base or gauge plate 22, the hanger will be firmly locked on rodA as the edges of orifice 20 bite into rod A. In this manner, the hangeris very quickly and firmly locked on rod A. This leaves the freehooklike extremities of the sides 12. and 13 free to receive astructural element such as a T section or other channel-like element. Inthis connection, it should be noted that the spacing between the sides'12 and 13 is such as to correspond to the width of standard T bar orother channel section whereas the hook-like extremities 16 projectinginwardly of the sides are spaced apart to a lesser degree and have theupwardly and inwardly sloped faces 23 so that when one edge of thestructural element, such as a T bar, is slid to overlap the hook-likeextremity 16 of side 12, for instance, the structural element may besnapped into locked position by swinging the other edge upwardly againstthe guide surface 23- of hook 16 of side 13 which will cause the freeextremity of side 13 to flex outwardly and permit the other edge of thestructural element to locate above the thus flexed hooked extremity. Inthis instance, it should be noted that the spacing between the freeextremities of book 16 and the base or gauge plate 22 is preferablychosen to correspond with the thickness of the web of the T bar or otherstructural element so that when it is thus snapped into position, itsupper surface will bear against the bottom of the base or gauge plate22, thereby solidly securing the structural element in mounted positionon the hanger B. In cases where depending Wire or rod suspensionelements are not employed and it is desired to mount the hanger againsta support, the top plate may be provided with a slot or slots such asslot 24 to which screws, bolts or the like may be passed to secure itfirmly to the support.

The hanger of the present invention, therefore, provides a simpleone-piece element through which structural elements of the kind inquestion may be quickly and eificiently mounted, i.e. by a very simpleconnecting operation of hte hanger to the suspension rod A and a simplesnapping operation to secure the structural element to the hanger.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A hanger for structural elements comprising a body formed from asingle piece of resilient metal bent to form a back plate, a top platesubstantially normal thereto and side plates substantially normal toboth the top plate and back plate, said side plates being spaced apartfrom one another a distance approximating the span of the structuralmember to be engaged and each terminating in free ends beyond theadjacent extremity of the back plate and including clamping means atsaid ends for engaging a structural element, said back plate having abase plate bent therefrom and projecting from said extremity thereofsubstantially normal thereto, said free ends of said side plates beingcapable of outward flexing to receive a structural element therebetweenand to cause said clamping means to clamp said element against said baseplate, and means for securing said hanger to a support.

2. A hanger for structural elements comprising a body formed from asingle piece of resilient metal bent to form a back plate, a top platesubstantially normal thereto and side plates substantially normal toboth the top plate and back plate, said side plates being spaced apartfrom one another a distance approximating the span of the structuralmember to be engaged and each terminating in free ends beyond theadjacent extremity of the back plate and including clamping means atsaid ends for engaging a structural element, said back plate having arod clamping plate struck therefrom to project below said top plate andat an incline to both said back plate and said top plate, said backplate having a base plate bent therefrom and projecting from saidextremity of said back plate substantially normal thereto and spacedfrom and underlapping said clamping plate, said top plate and saidclamping plate each having an orifice substantially aligned with oneanother for passage therethrough of a suspending rod, said inclinedclamping plate thereby causing edges of its orifice to bite into andclamp said body on such rod, said base plate being engageable by aterminal end of a suspending rod projected through the orifices of saidtop plate and clamping plate, said free ends of said side plates beingcapable of outward flexing to receive a part of a structural elementtherebetween and to cause said clamping means to clamp said elementagainst said base plate.

3. A hanger for structural elements as claimed in claim 2 in which saidclamping means comprises hook-like elements inwardly turned from thefree ends of said side plates, said hook-like elements having inwardlyand upwardly inclined faces engageable by a structural element to beclamped and capable of causing said free ends thereof to flex apart andreceive and clamp said structural element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,734,126 Kruger Feb. 7, 1956 2,841,255 Kemp July 1, 1958 3,017,973Schwartz Jan. 23, 1962

1. A HANGER FOR STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS COMPRISING A BODY FORMED FROM ASINGLE PIECE OF RESILIENT METAL BENT TO FORM A BACK PLATE, A TOP PLATESUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL THERETO AND SIDE PLATES SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TOBOTH THE TOP PLATE AND BACK PLATE, SAID SIDE PLATES BEING SPACED APARTFROM ONE ANOTHER A DISTANCE APPROXIMATING THE SPAN OF THE STRUCTURALMEMBER TO BE ENGAGED AND EACH TERMINATING IN FREE ENDS BEYOND THEADJACENT EXTREMITY OF THE BACK PLATE AND INCLUDING CLAMPING MEANS ATSAID ENDS FOR ENGAGING A STRUCTURAL ELEMENT, SAID BACK PLATE HAVING ABASE PLATE BENT THEREFROM AND PROJECTING FROM SAID EXTREMITY THEREOFSUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL THERETO, SAID FREE ENDS OF SAID SIDE PLATES BEINGCAPABLE OF OUTWARD FLEXING TO RECEIVE A STRUCTURAL ELEMENT THEREBETWEENAND TO CAUSE SAID CLAMPING MEANS TO CLAMP SAID ELEMENT AGAINST SAID BASEPLATE, AND MEANS FOR SECURING SAID HANGER TO A SUPPORT.